


Once Upon A Time

by grey-angelfish (ladyakami)



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Mythology, F/F, Fluff, Myth AU, Original Character(s), Romance, torbjorn isnt a dwarf
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-30
Updated: 2016-08-04
Packaged: 2018-07-27 17:00:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7626646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyakami/pseuds/grey-angelfish
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Angela, an angel, descends to Earth, where she finds what she wasn't looking for while she explores a whole new universe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Descent

**Author's Note:**

> Lines in italic are Mercy's thoughts- and Mercy is always going to be referred as Angela here.  
> You can find the illustrated character designs on my tumblr [right here](http://grey-angelfish.tumblr.com/post/148343658060/angelmercy-dryadpharah-and-spritetracer)!

_“Never may you corrupt your touch with an earthling, be it a highness or the lowest, as you belong to the sky, where it is pure to the eye.”_

 

That’s the rule of angels, passed down generation to generation, written in every historical passage, making it sacred. None shall break the rule, else they shall redeem their impurity with their lives.

That’s also what Angela was taught. Born from a noble family of Seraphims, she grew up among all sorts of people, but mostly arrogant and pompous. Her parents, her siblings, they all planted in her mind that she’s too royal to touch anything originating from earth, describing earth as dirty, a hellish place for the pure, snow-colored angels. Nobody dared to descend from the heavens. They are too afraid of being blemished.

But Angela was different.

“Looking at picture books again, kiddo?”

Angela looked up from her book. It was her uncle, Torbjörn. She had been close to him since her childhood. She smiled.

“It’s not picture book, uncle, it’s a science book… With pictures.”

Torbjörn raised his eyebrow.

“Yeah yeah, what’s it about anyway?”

“Earth and its inhabitants!”

At that, Torbjörn raised another eyebrow.

“Pretty girl, we don’t even know if earth is real! Isn’t it just a myth to scare children?”

Angela chuckled.

“It’s real, uncle, I’m pretty sure it is, because if not, there wouldn’t be so many books about it.”

“Well, if you say so. You’re not going anywhere off the heavens, anyway.” Torbjörn laughed and patted her back. Angela didn’t think so.

Since she was little, Angela would always stare in awe at pictures of ‘Earth’. Brightly colored flowers of strange size and shapes, the variety of seasons, and…

Its inhabitants.

She couldn’t believe that there are beings without wings. She read about humans, cunning creatures whose male population are violent, but the female population have a more peaceful tendency. Mermaids, aquatic creatures with a weird tail and _scales._ She even read about werewolves, beings that could shape-shift into wolves and into a more humanoid appearance.

In the heavens, there are only angels, even though they are divided into classes. Valkyries, nobles, guardians, and peasants. Yes, even in the heavens, beings are still being discriminated according to their family origins. Even so, it is peaceful. No war, no major conflict, no nothing. Everything has been peaceful for a couple centuries now, and everybody wanted to keep it that way.

Angela doesn’t want to just stay in her cloud-filled world. She’s sure that she can reach the ‘Earth’. She’s dead convinced that it does exist. There are thousands of books describing the war between the Valkyries and the Earthens. It’s the reason why the Valkyries have such a high position in the first place. Because, as the books described, they saved the whole race from demise… Although many centuries ago. People aren’t even sure if the whole war actually happened. They think it’s just a tale, but Angela doesn’t. She wants to see what’s beyond the heavens.

That’s why she mastered the ancient spell of opening a dimension-piercing gate. A wormhole. Being born in a noble family with a huge library has its perks. Of course, she didn’t tell anyone about it. They would just stop her from leaving. They don’t even believe that there is something beyond the cloudy barriers of the heavens, and they never tried. That’s why, she decided, she would just go through the risks alone. She took years to study numerous books about the gates between dimensions, and how to open it, and it finally paid off.

She finally can open a gate herself. She chose to do it in her bedroom, because then she can just lock her door, and if anyone looks for her, they would just think that she’s sleeping. Besides, the books said that the gate can be opened anywhere.

When the moon has just started to show, Angela chanted her spell. Light shone from her body as she felt the space around her distort. She’s nervous as hell, but she’s really happy that it’s working. Not everybody can open dimensional gates, they need to be a direct descendant of a noble bloodline. Thank goodness she’s actually legit. As she continued chanting, the light grew brighter. It was a hella long spell, her surroundings already became blinding white when she got to the end. Her vision spinned, and so does her mind, and she felt sick. She shut her eyes tight when she felt a prickling sensation through her whole body. Suddenly, all of the overwhelming sensations stopped.

 

_Ugh.._

As Angela tried to gather her senses back, she noticed that she’s on the ground now. Slowly opening her eyes, she was mesmerized by the landscape. She’s in a field, lively green grass stretching wide, with dots of brightly colored flowers here and there.

“Emerald… grass?” She mumbled to herself. The grass in the heavens is white. Actually, seeing the color green is also something big for her. She’d only seen them from books. Seeing such a vibrant color stunned her. She slowly got up to her feet. Looking up, she noticed the sky is no less vibrant than the grass. A mix of deep and baby blue, with clumps of pure white clouds. It’s exactly the same as the illustration she saw in the books! It’s even prettier!!

Angela could only stare, wide-eyed and open-mouthed. She carefully walked across the field, watching every flower she walked by. There were no such colored flowers in the heavens. Then, huge trees caught her attention. The dark brown color reminded her of her uncle somehow. She chuckled to herself as she walked into the forest. Oh man, she’s so excited. Her spell worked! She actually opened a gate to the Earth!! Well, assuming this is Earth.. But it most probably is! Her wings trembled with an adrenaline rush. She wants to fly and flap her wings everywhere, but the forest is getting thicker with trees and she wouldn’t be able to extend her wings properly.

She enjoyed the rustling sound of grass, and touched the trees. It’s way more rough than the heavens’ trees. She noticed some vividly colored tiny creatures here and there. She remembered reading about it. They’re called bugs and insects. The Earth has tons of them _everywhere._

From a distance, she started to hear a soft singing voice. Captivated, she walked further into the forest, hoping she’d find the source of it. She’s going to see an earthen being!! She grinned to herself. Her heart’s beating really fast, barely containing her excitement.

As she walked closer and closer to the singing voice, she burned the voice into her memories. It’s so strong, but gentle at the same time. She’d never heard such a voice before. It only sounded more beautiful the closer she walked.

She noticed a figure sitting on a tree from afar. Her grin grew wider and her eyes sparkled like a child’s. It’s like a kid’s first time seeing a rainbow.

When she could finally see the singing person properly, her smile dropped. It felt like her heart had stopped beating. Actually, it felt like everything had stopped. Like time froze.

The being seemed to notice Angela and stopped singing. She looked as surprised as Angela did.

“Hello there? You don’t seem like you belong here?” The being greeted, studying Angela’s overall appearance, especially her wings, “you look like an angel.”

Angela snapped out of her trance and tried her best to make a coherent sentence.

“Uh- yes, hello! That’s right, I _am_ an angel,” Angela chuckled nervously, light blush visible on her cheeks.

“Really? So angels _are_ real… Nice to meet you, Ms. Angel.”

“Oh, please, call me Angela!”

“Nice to meet you, Angela. My name is Fareeha. I am a dryad, a tree spirit.” she smiled.

Angela smiled back. Actually, she smiled double as wide.

“Nice meeting you too, Fareeha,” Angela beamed. She couldn’t take her eyes off the umber-colored dryad.

 

_I’ve never seen such a beautiful being in my entire life._


	2. Imprinted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously, Angela finally granted her own lifelong wish, going to Earth. After successfully warping to earth, she met Fareeha, a dryad, and made her first earthen friend.

“You are one with this tree? What does it mean?”

“It means that, if I die, this tree will die, and vice versa.”

Angela was sitting beside Fareeha, exchanging questions while studying the latter’s figure. Fareeha has a pink flower right beneath her right eye, in contrast with her skintone and jet-black flowing hair.  Her legs are fixed to the tree she’s sitting on, adorned with more pink flowers. Strange, it doesn’t seem like she’s uncomfortable with it at all. Maybe she's  _literally_ one with the tree?

“Is that why your legs are pinned to this tree?” Angela asked.

“Oh, no,” Fareeha chuckled, “I can detach my legs from the tree whenever I like.”

Flowers emerge from where Fareeha’s legs were stuck as she swung her feet forward. "Like this," she said.

Angela was completely taken aback. She wouldn’t have ever known that _anyone_ can do that!

“I also go to walks through the forest. There are a lot of other forest inhabitants aside from me. Do you want to come and see them too, Angela?” Fareeha offered, allowing Angela to indulge even more in her excitement.

“Oh, yes, if you may!” Angela hopped off the tree, slightly flapping her wings to ease her landing. Fareeha got down from the tree and took notice of Angela's extended golden-white wings. 

“Your wings are so beautiful, Angela. Such a sight is rare here,” Fareeha said with admiration. Angela blushed at that.

“Thank you, you are quite breathtaking yourself.”

“Excuse me?”

Angela then noticed that what she said may sound a bit misleading.

_Oh gosh, what a dunce I am!_

“I mean, your tree is um, gorgeous, and you’re very pretty too,” she fumbled, trying to cover up. Fareeha chuckled in response.

“I see, thank you,” there’s that dazzling smile again, “shall we go?”

Angela nodded, failing miserably in containing her wide grin as they walked together, deeper into the forest.

* * *

 

Everything in the forest still looks so magical to Angela. She couldn’t stop staring at practically _everything_ they walk past. She noticed a soft rustling sound coming from above, from the trees.

“Oh my! What do we have here, Fareeha?” The voice came from behind her.

Angela turned to see a short-haired lady clad in flowers. Unlike Fareeha, who’s covered in soft hues, her flowers are quite vivid and brightly colored. A thin strand of vine grew across her face, with a couple of tiny red flowers on either sides of her cheeks, the same color as the scarlet ring of roses on her head. Aside from that, there are multicolored roses bundled in the middle of her chest, and white primroses along the side. Her lower legs and arms are bright green, slowly turning to light fair skintone as it gets to her upper arms and legs.

“I figured you were around when I saw the butterflies,” Fareeha said with a friendly tone. “Good morning, Lena.”

“Good morning, love! This pretty lady here your friend?”

“Hi. I’m Angela,” Angela said, offering her hand with a smile. She's even more excited now that she met  _another_ earthling.

“Hello! I’m Lena!” Lena took Angela’s hand. When she let go, a crimson rose bloomed on Angela’s hand. “I’m a flower sprite,” she said proudly.

Angela was **astonished** by Lena’s feat. The flower on her hand was lovely!

Noticing Angela’s delight, Fareeha laughed heartily. “Angela is an angel. I’m taking her to sightsee around the forest, it’s her first time on Earth.”

“A _real_ angel? Wow! It’s my first time seeing an angel! May I touch your wings?” Lena said excitedly.

“Oh, sure!” Angela laughed lightly.

“Ah, it’s really soft, softer than a harpy’s!” Lena stroked Angela’s wings carefully, as it looked very fragile.

Angela turned to look at Fareeha. “What is a harpy?”

“They’re humanoid birds. They’re like normal humans, but with wings as their arms and bird legs.”

“Wings! Do you think they have a relation to us angels?”

“I doubt it, Angela. They’re much less graceful, they’re loud, and they’re prone to cause trouble.”

“Oh…. That doesn’t sound like us at all.”

“As I have said,” Fareeha chuckled. "Come now, with Lena here, we would have even more things to see."

* * *

 

“Are you tired, Angela?”

Angela looked at Fareeha, wondering if her exhaustion was obvious.

“Um, yes, just a little.”

After meeting Lena, the three of them wandered around, with both of the earthens answering Angela’s endless questions. Angela was very shocked that earthens eat other creatures. In the heavens, birds were pets, or means to send letters and such, not food. It was a good kind of shock though, she wasn’t disgusted or anything, just surprised. She’s looking forward to have a taste too. A friend of Lena’s said it’s delicious.  After some time passed, Lena got distracted by butterflies, and Fareeha told Angela that it happens often, so the both of them left Lena to play in the flowerbed. They decided to go back to Fareeha’s willow tree. Perfect timing. Angela was getting tired of walking, and her excitement drained her energy.

“Do you always use your wings in your homeland?” Fareeha asked when they’re both sitting comfortably on her tree.

“Well… Not really.” Angela pointed up. “Because the heavens is vast, we do mostly fly, but we walk a lot too, just not for an extended period of time.”

“I see. I apologize for being inconsiderate, taking you for a long walk like that,” Fareeha gave her a worried look.

“No, not at all! It was me who was all excited anyway!” Angela wouldn’t want the dryad to feel bad. Not because of her. “I had a lot of fun with you and Lena,” she smiled.

Thankfully, Fareeha smiled back at her, seemingly relieved.

“By the way, shouldn’t you go back, Angela? It has been quite some time since you got here.” Angela told Fareeha earlier that she actually sneaked out, and nobody knew that she went to Earth. “Wouldn’t it be bad if someone finds out that you’re gone?”

 _“Shoot! I forgot all about home!”_ Angela realized. She got to Earth in the morning, and now the sun was starting to set. “Yes, maybe I should head back now! Thank you for reminding me, or else I would have forgotten,” she said timidly with a laugh, hopping off Fareeha’s tree. Fareeha landed beside her.

“Will you be back?” Fareeha asked. “To Earth, I mean.”

Angela blushed a bit. It felt like she’s being asked to a second date.

“Yes, of course!” She giggled. “I would love to see you again!”

Fareeha smiled warmly and touched Angela’s cheek. It was a really light brush, there was barely any contact, but Angela felt her warmth. Once again, everything froze for Angela. Her eyes widened, mouth open. That’s the first time they touched since she got here.

“Yes, so do I.” Fareeha broke the ice holding Angela’s time. Angela turned around immediately, not wanting Fareeha to see that she’s blushing like crazy.

“A-alright, I’ll.. I’ll be going now,” she stuttered, positive that her face must’ve looked as red as Lena’s scarlet rose. Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself down and started chanting the spell to get back home. It was difficult to warp to Earth, but getting home was way easier, she only needed to use a return spell.

“Take care, Angela,” she heard in the middle of her spell. Angela smiled, giving Fareeha a nod right before she flashed away.

The sensation was pretty much the same as when she went to Earth. Her mind was spinning, her skin crawling….. She closed her eyes shut once again before finding herself already back in her room, in the heavens. She rushed to check the time.

She was surprised to see that barely a couple hours had passed. She didn’t know that time flowed differently for the two worlds. Good! This means that she can spend even more time on Earth. She thought about the things she would do on her next visit as she bathed. She has to re-read the books about Earth.

After getting into her sleeping attire, Angela slumped onto her bed, replaying her seemingly magical experience on Earth.

The skin where Fareeha touched her felt like it’s burning. Angela put her hand on it, smiling widely. She had never felt this ecstatic before.

Angela hugged her pillow tightly, hoping that everything wasn't just a dream, as exhaustion ate her consciousness, drifting her to sleep.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes, in this AU, angels are vegans ;;'w`) because i think it suits them.  
> hope you enjoyed this chapter~


	3. Longing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously, Angela went back to the heavens after spending half a day on Earth with Fareeha and Lena.

The loud knocking on the door woke Angela up. Eyes heavy and fluttering, she tried to listen to the yelling voice outside her door.

“Angela, dear! Please open the door!” It’s her mom. “You’re going to be late for the gathering, darling!”

_Oh gosh._

All drowsiness suddenly evaporating away, Angela’s eyes widened and shot up to the clock. There were only 20 more minutes before the social gathering started, and she haven’t even had breakfast yet. Her visit to Earth must have been really taxing for her that she overslept, even though she went to bed quite early last night.

“I’m awake, mother! I will have breakfast in a few moments!” Angela hurriedly answered her still-knocking mom.

“Please make haste, Angela.”

“Yes, mother,” Angela was thankful that her mom didn’t give her a lecture about being tardy. At least not yet, but right now she needed to focus to get ready as soon as possible. When she’s done, Angela rushed to the front door, figuring she wouldn’t have enough time to eat. Her mother was already waiting for her.

“It is rare that you oversleep. Are you feeling alright, dear?”

“Don’t worry, mother, I was just tired,” Angela kissed her mother’s cheek, “I will be going now.”

Angela’s mom kissed her on her forehead and waved her goodbye, still with a worried face. Angela gave her an assuring smile before flapping away. The gathering hall was quite a distance from her residence.

When Angela had arrived, she was 20 minutes late. The host had already commenced the party to start, the room crowded with nobles. She quickly went to the steward near the entrance to write her name on the guest list. A couple of gossiping ladies noticed her.

“Look at her, sister dear! She must be ashamed of herself for being late to such a grand convention,” one of them whispered loudly, even audible to Angela.

“Yes, sister dear, what a disgrace for Seraphims! It is very unladylike to be late, didn’t anyone teach her manners at all?” The other replied.

Social events _are_ important for nobles. It is where they can show off their high-class family aesthetics, build a relationship with other nobles, and put their riches to display. Being late to such an event would tarnish a family’s name, indicating that the family consists of irresponsible and negligent individuals. It’s just Angela’s luck that some loudmouthed girls saw her being late. She didn’t confront them though. It’s true that it’s completely her fault, and there’s no excuse for being tardy. After Angela wrote her details on the guest book, she swished past the chattering ladies without even looking at them, hoping nobody else noticed her.

Blending with the crowd, Angela took a cup of tea from one of the large tables serving snacks and drinks. It’s a morning party, so there are plenty of non-alcoholic beverages. Thank goodness for that. Just as Angela was going to grab herself a muffin, someone came up to her.

“Ah, Angela! What a pleasure to see you present,” the marquis behind her exclaimed.

Angela swiftly diverted her hand off the muffin, feinting it to grab her teacup. It’s 'unfeminine' to be seen snacking at someone else’s event, or so they said. Anyhow, she needed to look her best in front of other nobles so as to keep her family name untainted. Turning around, she put on her brightest smile.

“Marquis Vincent. You look splendid today,” she said. Gotta get those smooth words going. Angela could see his light blue wings twitch at her praise.

“As do you, milady. Not that you’ve ever looked less than beautiful.”

Angela held back a cringe, still smiling.

“Why, thank you,” she gave a light chuckle, just to be polite. “I heard you’re also a sponsor for today’s gathering?” She tried to start a new topic.

“Yes, I think it would be beneficial for me to have more connections,” he said. True. His family would get more exposure that way.

“But,” he added before Angela could say anything, “the kind of relationship that I’m really looking for right now isn’t about business.”

Marriage.

“Rumor has it that you’ve taken interest in someone?” Angela said, hoping he wouldn’t say something cheesy to her. She didn’t like the look on his face.

“Well, yes.” He gazed at Angela. “That someone happens to be right in front of me.”

_Drat_.

“Oh, you really have your way with flattery!” Angela tried to laugh it off, as polite as she could manage. “Oh dear, I haven’t greeted the host yet, how forgetful I am! Please excuse me for a minute, marquis,” she said before waving him goodbye, hastily trying to get out of the soon-to-be awkward situation.

She didn’t lie though; she actually went to greet the main host of the event. She wouldn’t want to be considered impolite or unfriendly, especially by the host.

“Is that the girl who rejected Marquis Vincent?” Again, someone is whispering so audibly that it reached Angela’s ears. The whispers came from behind her, but she didn’t turn around.

“Yes! What nerve she has! She’s not even that good-looking. What tacky getup,” another said.

“I heard she believes that Earth exists!  One time somebody said to me that she actually wanted to go there!”

“Really?! How childish of her. She brings shame to us noble Seraphims!” They mocked.

“Even if it exists, the creatures there are disgusting and repulsive!”

“Well, maybe she takes liking to creatures similar to herself!” They giggled behind their fancy cotton hand fans.

Angela exhaled her annoyance out in one brief huff. Honestly, there’s no end to these judgmental, loudmouthed nobles. They have a bad taste, too. Vincent wasn’t even that handsome, and he has some unpleasant rumors surrounding himself. Angela heard he was a womanizer, and he plays with women’s hearts like they’re his toys. Of course, she’s not one to judge, because maybe that’s not true. But his actions today pretty much showed that he has his way with women. Angela caught the sight of his smug face from afar, conversing with a peach-winged lady. She immediately averted her eyes so that he wouldn’t catch her looking at him.

_Ugh, Fareeha’s a thousand times easier on the eyes._

Angela’s cheeks turned a light pink shade at the thought. It made her miss the earthling. She wondered what Fareeha’s doing at the moment. Maybe it’s nighttime there. Angela imagined how Fareeha’s sleeping face would look like. She covered her smile with her teacup, pretending to drink. She wouldn’t want anyone to notice her smiling to herself like a dunce. Grabbing herself a muffin, Angela quietly wished the event would be over soon.

* * *

 

“I’m home, mother,” Angela greeted her mother when she’s back home. It’s already afternoon.

“Welcome back, dear. How was the gathering?” Her mother said with a smile.

“It went well,” a bit of a lie wouldn’t hurt. “Thankfully, the host duke didn’t seem to notice my late arrival.”

“That’s quite a relief.”

“It is,” Angela said. She looked at her mom with a regretful look. “I apologize for my tardiness earlier, mother.”

Caressing Angela’s cheek, Angela’s mom smiled warmly. “No worries, my girl, just don’t let it happen again. Now go eat, you must be hungry for not having breakfast.”

Angela excused herself to the dining room and found that a meal has been prepared for her. A muffin didn’t really do much for her empty stomach, so she took a seat and finished her lunch. She couldn’t wait to meet Fareeha again.

Before going back to Earth, Angela decided to read about Earth, so that she could ask Fareeha to show her stuff that she wants to see. She didn’t even realize how much time she spent in the study until a maidservant came up to her to tell her it's dinnertime. Again, she quickly finished her meal, and this time, she went to her room and locked her door. She changed her formal attire into a more casual one. Chanting the same spell as yesterday, Angela warped away again, into a different world.

* * *

 

The heat on her skin snapped Angela back to her senses. The sun is scorching in the baby blue sky. Angela found herself on the same spot where she arrived on Earth the day before. Relief and happiness overwhelmed her as she scurried into the forest, searching for a certain willow tree.

“Fareeha?” Angela called.

“Angela? Is that you?”

Angela found the dryad sitting on the ground this time instead of the tree. She was leaning on her tree, but she promptly stood up when she noticed Angela. “Good afternoon, Angela,” she said with a smile.

Angela gave her a bashful grin. She’s still as beautiful as Angela remembered. More so than yesterday, even. How could people call earthen creatures disgusting? She had never seen anything or anyone more alluring than the female dryad standing in front of her.

“Good afternoon! Sorry to keep you waiting, Fareeha.”

“It’s fine. I’m glad to see you again.” Fareeha gestured to the forest, “Do you want to sightsee around the forest again?”

“Oh, about that…”

“Yes?”

“Um,” Angela fidgeted.

 

“I would like to see what they call ‘the ocean’.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry, this chapter is short and only contains a bit of Mercy/Pharah, but the next chapter will be better and longer! <3


	4. Glowing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously, Angela went back to Earth, asking Fareeha if they could go see the ocean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Kind of long. Filled with fluff. Elf!Widowmaker. Pixie!D.Va.

“The ocean?” Fareeha laughed softly, not expecting Angela to ask such a request.

“Well… Yes, why? Does it actually not exist?” Angela blushed a bit at Fareeha’s reaction. Did she sound like a kid wanting to go to the park?

“No, no, it does exist, I just didn't see that coming. How did you know about the ocean if you’re not even sure it exists?”

“We have books about Earth in the heavens. I read them a lot. I’ve always been curious about Earth, you see.”

“Is that so? I myself have wondered sometimes if angels actually existed, too. There were many, many tales about heavenly beings, but I’ve never heard about an actual angel descending to Earth.” Fareeha looked at Angela, smiling. “But it seems angels are as beautiful as their stories tell.”

Angela’s cheeks turned bright pink. She’s not used to Fareeha’s blunt praises and comments. Unlike the empty flattery that other angels say to her every day, Fareeha’s sound so sincere and real, it startled her every time.

“Thank you,” Angela said bashfully. It occurred to her that earthlings actually described angels as pretty. How come angels think of earthen beings as repulsive?

 _“Explains a lot about their hypocritical characters,”_ Angela thought.

“The ocean is a bit far from here, so we need help getting there,” Fareeha said, interrupting Angela’s negative thought about her own kind.

“Really? If it’s far away, then we can just forget it. I wouldn’t want to trouble you.”

“It’s alright, Angela. You said you’ve been wanting to go to Earth, so you may as well, now that you’re here. We just have to visit the elves, for now.”

“Elves?” Angela asked eagerly. “I’ve read about them! The books said they’re very skilled and dignified hunters! But I thought they’re violent creatures?”

Fareeha laughed. “Your books are right, except that they’re very fond of peace. They would never hurt anything or anyone without a reason.”

“Oh, I see! That’s nice to know,” Angela said. “ _Goodness, the historians in the heavens have some terrible case of prejudice.”_

“Please wait a moment, Angela.”

Angela nodded and listened to Fareeha as she sang a song. It’s a very lighthearted song, blending into the air.

 

_Oh, souls of the wind, come to me_

_Through the breeze I call to thee_

_Swift as river thou shall travel_

_As my message thou deliver_

 

The song was short, but it was enough for the atmosphere to feel magical. Angela could literally feel the effect Fareeha’s song had. It’s her first time to actually feel earthen magic. Unlike the dimension-piercing magic that warped her to Earth, it’s soft and calming. Even the rustling of the trees sang along with her, melding into one with her song. The sensation was almost the same as when she heard Fareeha sing the first time, it’s just that this time Fareeha sounded like she wanted to whisper to someone.

A light breeze surrounded them a few seconds after Fareeha finished her song. Dim glimmers of light sparkled before materializing into a small, winged creature.

“Did you call for me, Fareeha?” The blue-dressed creature asked enthusiastically. Fareeha held out her hand for the creature to land on.

“Thank you for coming, Hana. Angela, this is my friend, Hana. She’s a pixie,” Fareeha said. “Hana, this is Angela, an angel. She’s visiting Earth for the time being.”

“Oh my, oh my! An angel? A real angel?” Hana fluttered her small wings excitedly, leaping off Fareeha’s palm. She hovered in front of Angela’s face. Angela noticed that she left trails of sparkling glitter that quickly dissolved to thin air.

“It’s my first time seeing an angel! Hello there, miss! It’s a pleasure to meet you!” Hana said excitedly, gliding into a spiral encircling Angela.

“Yes, it is nice to meet you too, Hana,” Angela chuckled. She had read a bit about pixies, but there weren’t that many things written about them. She definitely didn’t expect them to be this cute.

“Hana, can you take us the the Elven Forest? I require their assistance,” Fareeha requested.

“Anything for you, Fareeha! Let’s go!” The pixie answered playfully, flying away.

* * *

 

Walking deeper into the forest, Angela realized that they slowly entered an entirely different forest, with different sets of trees and plants. Strange. Yesterday, when she was sightseeing around the forest with Fareeha and Lena, no matter how deep into the forest they walked, it was still the same.

“Fareeha, are we in the elven forest? How come we didn’t get here yesterday?” Angela couldn’t contain her curiosity.

“The elven forest has a barrier as a means of protection, miss! Not just anyone can wander into the elves’ territory,” Hana answered her question.

“That’s right. Hana, as one of the guardians of the two forests, can bypass the barrier. With her guidance, we’re able to enter the elven forest. That’s why I called for her,” Fareeha explained.

“But why would the elves need protection? Whom are they hiding from?” Angela asked again.

“From the humans, of course!” Hana said.

“Why? Are they in a war? Or archenemies?”

“No, nothing like that. Humans are peace-loving creatures too, but sometimes they act… peculiar.” Fareeha looked like she’s getting her thoughts in order. Angela waited for her to continue. But the one who answered Angela’s question wasn’t the dryad, nor the pixie.

“They think we lure them to death,” an unknown voice echoed from the trees.

“And the sight of them makes me want to _kill_ them,” the distant voice suddenly turned into a whisper, right into Angela’s ear. Angela shuddered from the fear that crawled on her skin, quickly turning around. Are elves actually dangerous, after all?

Angela’s panicked and horrified expression triggered a hearty laughter from the person who caused it.

Fareeha patted Angela’s shoulder to assure her that everything’s alright.

“Amélie,” she said, “you never change, do you?”

“Oh, please. You make it sound like I’m a villain.”

Angela studied the female figure that just scared the crap out of her. Amélie is an elf. A very stunning one, at that. Some of the illustrations in the books pictured elves as ugly, wrinkly old men. She’s _thousands_ of miles away from ugly and wrinkly. A million miles away, even. Amélie has a purplish-blue skin with matching midnight purple hair, tied in a ponytail. Her forehead is adorned with a red-jeweled headdress, 1 jewel in the middle, and 2 smaller jewels on each side. Each of them was framed with gold, bringing out her skin color. On her back rests a large bow, indicating her proficiency in archery.

 _She looks strong_ … _And so beautiful that it’s intimidating._

“Amélie rhymes with big meanie!” Hana sang out.

“You wouldn’t want me to snipe you, pixie,” Amélie teased.

“Eek~ Scary!” Hana shrieked playfully. She flew to Angela. “I’ve taken you here now, so I’ll leave the rest to Amélie. Don’t be scared, miss. Amélie is a bit mischievous, but she’s not wicked!”

“Oh, thank you for your help, Hana! I’m really grateful!” Angela said appreciatively.

“Thank you, Hana. I’ll see you around,” Fareeha smiled, bidding farewell before the pixie dissolved into glitters.

“Call me anytime, Fareeha. Bye, Amélie! Bye, Miss Angela!”

“Angela? Does your name have a relation to how similar you look to an angel?” Amélie studied Angela up and down after waving to the pixie. She shot a look at Fareeha. “What is she, Fareeha?”

“She _is_ an angel. It’s her first time on Earth, so don’t try anything silly,” the dryad warned.

“Oh, really now? A _real_ angel?” Amélie raised an eyebrow. “Are those wings real?”

“Um, yes,” Angela is getting a bit embarrassed at how closely the elf is inspecting her.

“Really? Try flying, I want to see.”

“That’s enough, Amélie,” Fareeha interrupted the conversation while Angela was considering the request. “Angela, you don’t need to do it, she’s merely jesting.”

Amélie snickered. “You’re no fun, Fareeha. Maybe she wants to fly for me.” That just earned a glare from Fareeha. Amélie smirked in response. “That aside, why have you come here?”

“Angela wanted to see the ocean. For that, we need your help.”

“Oh, you want to use the teleporter?” Amélie figured it out in less than a second. Fareeha nodded.

“Alright, then.” Amélie gestured to the forest. “The elven tribe welcomes you.”

* * *

 

“Did you know about spiders, Angela?” Amélie asked on their way to the village.

“Huh? No, I don’t.”

“Well, for starters, they have furry round bodies, and eight legs.”

“ _Eight_ legs?”

“Yes, and big, scary black eyes. They’re even bigger than you, and they will EAT you!” Amélie hissed in a frightening way.

Fareeha rolled her eyes.

“T-they eat us? How big are they? Where do they live?” Angela panicked.

“That’s not true, Angela. Spiders aren’t that big, and they do not prey on us.” Fareeha to the rescue.

“Oh, they don’t?”

Amélie laughed. “Yeah, I was just messing with you, doll.”

“Please do not scare me like that,” Angela pouted.

“Aw, don’t sulk on me, sweetheart,” Amélie’s smirking face didn’t really help.

“Why were you near the border, Amélie? Shouldn’t you be in the village?” Fareeha cut the conversation.

“I was, but our mages said that someone crossed the barrier. Someone unusual, with a presence that they had never felt before,” Amélie looked at Angela. It’s obvious whom she’s referring to. “So the chief told me to check it out.”

Amélie stopped walking. “Anyway, we’re here.”

Angela looked to the view in front of her. They’re on top of a slightly steep hill, and in front of them was a vast, shallow valley, bordered by a layer of trees on one side, and another thick forest on the other. It seemed to be filled with life and civilization. There were many, many decorated wooden huts on the clearing, and treehouses as it gets closer to the forest. Elves were bustling here and there, some carrying fruits, some carrying baskets of food, children just running around playfully. It looked like everyone’s happy, a wonderful place to live in. There’s a particularly big hut near the center of it all, standing out from the rest. Angela presumed it was some kind of a city hall.

“Welcome to Umysthyr Valley, Ms. Angel,” Amélie said. “Fareeha, you know the way to the village hall, right? I’ll tell our Teleporter about your request, so I’ll be waiting there.”

Fareeha nodded. “Alright, we’ll be there,” she said before watching Amélie leap down from the steep part of the hill a few steps on their left. Angela gasped. That part of the hill was really steep.

“Don’t worry, that’s a shortcut. She always uses that road, she’s very athletic and durable,” Fareeha chuckled at Angela’s horror. “Let’s go take the normal way down.”

* * *

 

Walking downhill, Fareeha explained a lot of things about the elven civilization to Angela.

“This is actually Central Umysthyr. There are also East Umysthyr and West Umysthyr. They’re almost the same size as this one.”

“Oh, really? The elven forest must be really big then?”

“Yes, that’s one of the uses of the barrier, too. It prevents humans and unfamiliar sprites to wander inside and get lost. All of the elven villages have barriers surrounding their forests.”

“All of the villages? You mean this is not the only place with elves?” Angela asked.

“Of course not, elves are everywhere around Earth. The place where we’re going to be teleported is one of the seaside elven forests, actually,” Fareeha said as they entered the village hall.

“About time! I’ve got the portal ready,” Amélie greeted them impatiently. Another elf was standing beside her, probably the one who opened the portal.

“A lot of children came to us asking if Angela’s an angel, Amélie. You should have escorted us if you wanted us to be faster,” Fareeha said.

“Do we just stand on that… shining tile?” Angela asked hesitantly, gesturing to the glowing enchanted circle on a square tile. She’s not sure if she wants to do it, not if the sensation will be the same as when she warped to Earth. It’s very unpleasant.

“Yes. Don’t worry, lady, you won’t feel anything at all, and it’ll take just a second,” the elf beside Amélie clarified. That made Angela feel at ease.

“Thank you, sir. We’ll be back in a few hours,” Fareeha expressed her gratitude. “Thank you to you, too, Amélie.”

“Thank you, Amélie, Mr. Elf,” Angela added.

“You’re quite welcome, ladies,” the elf said, while Amélie only gave them an affirmative smirk.

“Be careful now, don’t let the humans see you,” Amélie said when the both of them stepped on the portal. “They can shoot you down.”

Sensing Angela’s anxiety, Fareeha held her hand. Angela looked at the dryad.

“Don’t worry,” she whispered softly, “I will protect you.”

Angela only held Fareeha’s hand tighter in response, feeling safer than ever, even more than when she's in the heavens. She closed her eyes as the portal shone bright from below, teleporting them away.

* * *

 

“Angela,” Fareeha called, “you can open your eyes now.”

At that, Angela slowly opened her eyes. There were two elves in front of her, not the same one as just now, and not Amélie either. They seemed to be expecting her arrival.

“That was not too overwhelming now, was it?” Fareeha asked her with her firm yet soothing voice. Angela realized that Fareeha’s hand was still mingled with hers and blushed. She loosened her grip, but didn’t quite let go yet.

“Yes, I didn’t feel a thing.”

Fareeha smiled and turned to the waiting elves. “Good afternoon. I assume you have expected us?”

“Indeed! Welcome to Sylsanora, ladies! You have not visited for years now, Fareeha.” One elf, with greying hair and wrinkled face, politely bowed to Angela. “It’s an honor to see an angel, Miss. This is my very first time seeing your kind.”

“Please, raise your head. There’s no need for bowing, I am all but the same as you are, Mr. Elf.” Angela said, not liking the excessive respect.

“Angela, he is the chief of Sylsanora. We can get to the shore by walking just a short distance from here.”

“That’s right. This is my son. He will accompany the both of you to the beach,” the elven chief gestured to the other elf.

“Greetings,” his son said, his tone indifferent, but it’s obvious that he’s enthralled by Angela. Fareeha noticed this and slightly tightened her grip on Angela’s hand. A second later, she wondered why she did that. Odd.

“Thank you, chief,” Angela said. She was met with a courteous nod and a smile.

The chief’s son gestured for the ladies to step down from the portal. “Well then, let’s go.”

* * *

 

Their escort stopped at the edge of the forest. “Follow this path, and you’ll reach the seaside. I will be waiting here,” he said, pointing to a slightly rocky path.

“Why aren’t you coming with us, Mr. Elf?” Angela asked.

“Well…” The elf glanced at the connected hands of the two ladies. “I assumed the two of you would like to see the beach in private.”

“That’s right,” Fareeha said bluntly when Angela opened her mouth. “We would.”

A mild blush bloomed on Angela’s face. She couldn’t think of anything to say, so she only nodded shyly. Does this mean something? No, it can’t be.

“Thank you for your guidance. We’ll be back in a couple hours.”

The elf gave an affirmative nod before they walked away.

* * *

 

“Fareeha, don’t your feet hurt?” Angela asked when she finally calmed her heart down. The dryad is walking barefoot, and the path they’re walking on is pretty rocky.

“I’m fine, Angela. The rocks’ surfaces are smooth, and they’re pretty even. Thank you for your concern.”

The thought of carrying the dryad in her arms instead and fly to the beach crossed Angela’s mind, but it got interrupted by the sound of crashing waves.

In front of them laid a boundless view of glimmering blue waters. There’s only around an hour and a half before sundown, but the sun’s still shining quite mightily, displaying the most beautiful hues of the ocean. The faraway deep blue waters gradually faded into bright blue, then to teal, before reaching the pearl white sands. The blue color was almost the same as the skies, but _sparkling._ The pictures in her books were downright lying to her. It looked nowhere as beautiful as this.

“Let’s go,” Fareeha said, snapping Angela out of her wide-eyed state. “You might want to take off your shoes; the sand here feels nice to the touch.”

“Okay!” Angela excitedly took off her boots, letting go of Fareeha’s hand. She felt the sand with her bare toes, and then slowly walked on it. It felt a bit grainy but soft at the same time. She had never felt this kind of texture before. Angela laughed at the ticklish feeling the sand had. Fareeha chuckled at Angela’s exhilaration and made her way to the shore. Angela followed behind her, exposing herself to the warm sunlight.

“The low waves are nice, too. But the sand is wet, so be careful,” Fareeha said, her feet already greeted by the water. “You can hold my hand if you want to,” she held her hand out to the angel.

Angela wasn’t particularly scared or worried, but she accepted the offer anyway. With a blush, of course. Taking Fareeha’s hand, she stepped forward, feeling the ocean water crash on her shins. The soaked sand beneath her feet sunk slowly. It felt funny, but she liked it.

They ran together, hand-in-hand, along the shore, water splashing on Fareeha’s willow-leaf dress. The drops of water made her dress looked like it’s sparkling too.

“Fareeha! Are those ‘palm trees’?” Angela asked excitedly, pointing at a tall tree.

“That’s right.”

“I heard we can meet mermaids on seashores! Are there any mermaids here?”

“No,” Fareeha chuckled. “This is an elven island, so it has a barrier protecting the whole island. Nobody else aside from the guardians of the sea and the elves can see it. But look there, Angela,” she pointed to the edge of a huge rock a few steps away. Around the rock were some colorful shells varying in shapes and sizes. “Those are seashells. The sand is lower around the rock, so they get washed up there.”

Angela stared in awe, instantly forgetting about mermaids. “Wow!” She exclaimed. “Can I touch them?”

Fareeha scooped up some of them off the sand and showed them to Angela. “You can, but be careful, sometimes they have sharp edges.”

Angela gingerly took a slightly pink-colored shell and felt it on her hand. It’s rigid and light, like a thin rock. She felt each one of the shells that Fareeha picked up, as they’re all different. Some of them were bumpy, some of them were smooth.

“Do you want to make sandcastles, Angela?” Fareeha offered when they were done with the seashells.

“Castles? You can make castles out of sand?” Angela asked in disbelief, putting the shells back on sand.

“Well, a small one, but yes, we can.”

“I would love to!” Angela was filled with enthusiasm. How does one make a castle out of this grainy, almost flour-like thing?

Fareeha made a mat made of soft willow leaves for Angela to sit and kneel, so the sand wouldn’t stick on her clothes. She also made a big leafy umbrella to block the sun rays. It’d be bad if the angel has sunburn when she gets back to the heavens. Angela learned that sandcastles aren’t literally _castles,_ but still had the time of her life constructing her very first sandcastle.

By the time they’re satisfied by their castle, the sun was already setting. Fareeha was wilting her leaf umbrella down to throw away when Angela called her.

“Fareeha! Look at the sky!”

She did, and the view was quite marvelous. On the center of the horizon was the honey-colored setting sun, surrounded by a rich golden shade that washed into a pink color above it. Misty lumps of clouds floated here and there, embellishing the sky.

“Oh, that’s right. When you got here last time, you didn’t get to see the sunset because it was blocked by the trees in the forest,” Fareeha said, now standing beside Angela.

“I… I’ve never seen such a colored sky before.” The skies in the heavens are often really, really cloudy by nighttime, and even if it clears up a bit, it only turns from really really light pastel blue to purple, to dark purple. The moon can barely be seen, so the heavens are brightly illuminated by street lights and the like.

“Do you like the sunset, Angela?” Fareeha asked, also staring at the multicolored sky.

“It’s very beautiful,” came the half absent-minded response.

“I’m glad.”

Angela turned to look at Fareeha. Under the sunset rays, her umber skin glistened, glowing slightly orange on the edges. A brilliant smile decorated her face, blending well with her sharp eyes, still looking at the sunset. Angela couldn’t bring herself to look at the sunset again. Her eyes were stuck to the dryad.

“Let’s go back, Angela.” Sunset was quick to pass, and the sky was starting to turn dark blue.

“Um,” Angela said hesitantly. “Can I hold your hand?”

Pause.

“It’s starting to get dark, and I don’t know the way back. I wouldn’t want to lose the sight of you,” Angela continued. She’s hoping it’s dim enough for her blush to pass unseen.

“Of course,” Fareeha held out her hand for the angel to take, which she did promptly.

It’s actually not that dark. The moonlight was enough for Angela to see her immediate surroundings. That was just an excuse so she could hold the dryad’s hand for the third time today. She liked holding hands.

They walked quietly back to the rocky path they came from, the sound of waves and their footsteps on sand filling the silence. Angela was smiling goofily the whole time.

“ _Yes,_ ” she thought.

_I would never want to lose the sight of you._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to keep the extra characters anonymous so I wouldn't have to make OCs ;;'w`)  
> Thank you for the comments on the previous chapter and hope you enjoyed this chapter! I made it extra long to make up for the short prior chapters :D

**Author's Note:**

> please review and tell me what you think of this AU <3


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